[FIN] Homeward Bound

[Suudonym]

"No!" He resisted the restraint like a wounded animal, fighting without fully understanding what was binding him. "No, I can't-- I can't--" Plain survival instinct drew his attention to his breath and the symptoms it was causing, and he coughed in a failed effort to control it, "I can't breathe--"  

[BlackPidgeot]

Luke's struggles were fruitless and Yuri held him fast. He grimaced slightly at the panicked boy's struggles and cries.

"Yes, you can," Yuri said calmly. "Just calm down. It'll be okay."  

[Suudonym]

The sudden panic attack was in some ways fortunate, as it forced Luke to stop his thoughts and focus on physiological needs. Unconsciously he closed his eyes as he attempted to dull the short, gasping breaths, and he gradually achieved some success, slowly approaching a state of normalcy. His features took on a painful despair as he recalled that 'normal' wasn't something he could really return to anymore.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Once Luke started to calm down, Yuri loosened his hold on the boy and put his hands on his shoulders. Turning Luke to face him.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. We'll get you through this, all right?"  

[Suudonym]

Though he consciously heard the words, he found them difficult to accept. Believing that there was anything beyond this was a challenge he felt it fruitless to pursue. But he understood Yuri's intent, and so he nodded once, insincerely.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Yuri could tell that his words weren't making much of an impact. But he'd at least calmed down, and that was good enough, for now at least.

"I dunno about you, but I'm beat. C'mon."

With that, Yuri took Luke by the arm, intending to lead him back to the cabin to get some rest.  

[Suudonym]

And this was why he had chosen to remain reticent: Speaking about much of anything inevitably became agonizing. He returned to a state of pliability, offering no resistance to Yuri's beckons.